Material Events Post 30 June 2009

A collaborative approach has continued between Thales Australia, DSTO and DMO to better understand the classification and auto display for the underwater warfare systems. Equipment is now temporarily installed at Edinburgh to facilitate underwater warfare system data replay and system tuning.

Outstanding contractor sea trials were successfully completed and numerous system performance issues demonstrated as resolved in August 2009. This included updates to the Electronic Support software/ firmware and successful system performance trials at sea. The results of these trials are being considered by the Navy for the ship's Operational Release. An 'incremental' approach for both Initial Operational Release and Operational Release as agreed by the DMO and Navy continues to be aggressively pursued.

Contractual Acceptance of the last ship to proceed through the FFG Upgrade program, HMAS Newcastle, was achieved in September 2009 well ahead of the contracted date of December 2009. Contractual Acceptance of the Electronic Support Operator Trainer was achieved in September 2009. Contract Final Acceptance for all deliverables of the FFG Upgrade contract remains on schedule for December 2009.

The forecast IOC date for HMAS Newcastle is now scheduled to be achieved in December 2009.

The forecast FOC date for the FFG Upgrade program will be more likely in mid-late 2010.